Cycling is steeped in history. There are characters that have developed the sport in the public conscious in recent times and past. Races themselves carry the competitive history of the sport, and create the characters that let our sport continue and prosper. Although you can have a race anywhere – some iconic regions or specific locations can create an amazing, memorable race. And this is where history can be created.
Classics make for classic moments. Photo: Anton Blackie
What would the Tour be without the Alps? Could a Giro d’Italia be considered a Giro without visits to the Dolomites? Closer to home, the Otway Odyssey is known for the Sledgehammer climb. The Leadville 100 would have countless stories from races won and lost on the Powerlines climb, and the Pass de Luna in the Grand Raid CristAlp will make or break any Marathon racers day.
History runs deeper than that though. Some of the places that we are lucky enough to ride and even race through have been well travelled. At this time of the year, the pencil being used for calendar preparation is slowly being replaced with a pen. It’s exciting. Team mates are being locked in for paired events or as travel companions. Race entries are sent off, flights are searched for, and then the accommodation negotiations begin.
Many road cyclists will be organizing some sort of trip to visit ‘Le Tour’. Those who feel they are a bit more cutting edge will visit the Giro. Others may know exactly where to stay an Geraardsbergen, or perhaps have a mate’s colleagues cousin who backs right onto the Muur. Certainly, a holiday like this has history.
But amongst the Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Team – our schedule is somewhat different. Our targeted Stage Races are within the Western Cape Province for the ABSA Cape Epic, or the European Alps for the Craft Bike TransAlp, or the high mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado for the Breck Epic. These areas have centuries of history. From possibly being the birthplace of human kind, to mountains that have had armies marched over them, to riding in mountains valued for their mineral bounty before their natural beauty. Yes, the racing that has developed over the past decade is impressive. But these landscapes have seen so much more than multiple brightly dressed mountain bikers and their motorbike, four wheeler and helicopter based support crews.
From here down, you're sniffing out the smugglers trails. Singletrack and contraband.
So if you are lucky enough to be putting some of the great Marathon Mountain Bike events, or Stage Races, into your calendar, make some time. These locations hold far more than you may see on race day. And the pure marathon riding joy of linking up passes, lakes, countries, forts, espresso and cake (kuchen, torte, gateau, pudding…) is unknown until you have experienced it yourself.
You just need to know where to look.